Largest Northwest Denver Major Development Plan Challenged by Neighborhood Groups, Activists

Dear Residents of West Denver, West Colfax, Sloan’s Lake, and Northwest Denver:

As you know, the former St. Anthony Hospital site is being planned for a massive development by EnviroFinance Group (EFG). The City of Denver Zoning Code requires a “General Development Plan” (GDP) process and approval prior to re-zoning of the property. The GDP process does not include City Council. Only the Denver Planning Board need approve the GDP and, as a general rule, City Council approves zoning in conformance with the GDP. Here is what is being proposed:

– Up to 1,745 new households crammed into 6 blocks
– 12 to 20 story buildings along 17th Avenue just across from Sloan’s Lake Park
– Less than even the 10% minimum open space required by Code while inundating the existing
Sloan’s Lake Park with more than 2000 new users

This process began in May 2013 with the developer’s submittal of a preliminary Plan to Community Planning and Development (CPD). The process required the developer to hold a community meeting which took place on June 26, 2013. There was a two week period of time for members of the public to submit comments on the Plan to the Planning department. Many of you receiving this letter submitted comments which expressed reservations about that preliminary Plan.

The developer had planned on taking a final version of the Plan to the Planning Board in August.
However, as a result of the volume and nature of the public and agency comments submitted, the
developer was delayed in revising their plan, and it was not until October 14 when they submitted a final version of their Plan to the Planning department. The developer has said now that they intend to have the Planning Board public hearing and decision on the final GDP on Wednesday, November 20.

You will be interested to know that the revised GDP still does not adhere to the vision of the St.
Anthony Redevelopment Task Force Plan or the West Colfax Plan in any significant way. Both of these plans were developed over a long period of time with extensive community involvement in 2005 and 2006.

The new Plan still features 20 story buildings along 17th Avenue, even less open space than what is required under the Zoning Code and a new population density which may reach as many as 1745 households, more than 2000 people in a six block area.

You may also be interested to learn that by a 2 to 1 margin, the comments submitted to CPD in July were either negative or had reservations about the development plan. Although, EFG has publicly claimed that 65% of the comments were favorable to their development, the truth is that 67% of the comments were negative or had serious reservations.

This is the largest, most important development in the history of Northwest Denver. It will have
impacts on our neighborhoods that will be dramatic and far reaching. If it is done wisely, with
sensitivity and a good sense of economics and design, it will benefit all. If not, we will have to answer to our children and grandchildren, “How did you ever let that happen?”

We believe that the vast majority of Sloan’s Lake and Northwest Denver residents are unaware of what is really being planned. We are a group of neighbors from throughout West and Northwest Denver, who have organized to challenge this Plan for massive private over-development adjacent to our primary public park. Now that we know what the developer’s final plan is and that it is moving forward, we urgently need your help to notify and motivate others to take action.

We invite you (and any of your neighbors you may interest!) to attend a meeting to learn more about EFG’s strategies and plans and what can be done to ensure a more harmonious and desirable redevelopment of the site and to provide an acceptable outcome for our community.

If you are unable to make this meeting but would like to help, if you have questions or concerns or would like to be taken off this list please contact Larry Ambrose at LDA@earthnet.net or call him at 720-490-1991.